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At first glance, it may seem strange that South Dakota's own Mike Miller is linked to one of the most closely followed free agent sagas in sports history.

The future of LeBron James is on everyone's mind, especially since the four-time MVP might leave the Miami Heat to return to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, whom he spurned four years ago to famously take his talents to South Beach.

Miller joined James in Miami back then and won a pair of NBA titles before being waived by the Heat last summer through the NBA's amnesty clause, an effort to clear salary cap space that James later characterized as costly for team chemistry.

Miller signed with Memphis and was healthy and productive last season, and now the Corn Palace hero might get another shot with King James in Cleveland.

LeBron texted the veteran sharpshooter and former Mitchell Kernel earlier this week to see if he would be interested in hooking up if James left Miami (Miller can't sign with the Heat due to amnesty restrictions. The Cavaliers later contacted Arn Tellem, Miller's agent, to gauge his interest.

Miller, coming off his 14th NBA season and seeking a three-year deal, has plenty of free-agent suitors but is patiently waiting (like nearly everyone else) to see how the James saga plays out. It could be a matter of whether Cleveland can clear enough cap space to bring in Miller (and possibly Ray Allen) after paying maximum money to LeBron.

As the suspense builds, people are desperately seeking clues that long-suffering Cleveland will actually become the center of the NBA universe.

Miller caused a stir Wednesday by posting a photo on Instagram of him shooting a jumper in a practice gym with a framed LeBron Cavaliers jersey in the background. Never mind that the jersey could have been from James' first tour of duty with the Cavs – the conspiracy theories live on.

The part about James and Miller being connected, however, is not far-fetched. They have been friends for a while and share a mutual respect, with James acknowledging not just Miller's 3-point accuracy but his court savvy and instinct for the game.

When James took criticism at times for late-game playoff disappearances in Miami, Miller was always quick to dampen the noise.

"I know on a small scale what scrutiny can do to you," Miller said. "But he knows it on a much larger level."

The friendship actually started when James was a rising prep phenom at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

While still playing with Orlando, which drafted him fifth overall in 2000, Miller attended a few of James' games and hit it off with the future No. 1 overall pick, who was also friends with then-Miller teammate Tracy McGrady.

The bond grew stronger when they played together on Team USA during the qualifying tournament for the 2008 Olympics, where James later teamed with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to claim a gold medal in Beijing.

Miller caused a minor stir during the 2009-10 season by sporting James' Nike Zoom Soldier shoes while playing for the Washington Wizards. That angered teammate and LeBron agitator DeShawn Stevenson, who once called James overrated.

"We don't wear those around here," snapped Stevenson. But Miller held firm, poking fun at himself in the process.

"When you're unathletic and white like me, you need to have the lightest shoe out there," he said at the time. "They feel good on my feet."

A few days later, when asked about the shoes, LeBron kept the dialogue going.

"Mike will wear them," he told reporters. "He said he's got to have the best shoes, and I agree with that. Mike is a good friend of mine. We have a good history."

Miller is also close with Maverick Carter, LeBron's close friend and business manager, who was credited (or blamed) for helping to orchestrate the superstar's whirlwind move to Miami.

Miller named his second son Mavrick in honor of the man who spearheaded "The Decision" and now also represents Johnny Manziel, who could soon become Cleveland's second-most-talked-about athlete.

So it wasn't surprising to hear Miller defend James in the face of criticism about how his departure from the Cavaliers was handled.

"It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback," said Miller at the time. "But you have to remember that (James) was in one of the most unique positions anyone has ever been in. Him leaving the Cavs really affects the team, the fans, the city, the entire state. When other players leave somewhere, it's not the same situation.

"In the end, he needed to do what's best for him and his family. He gave Cleveland everything he had for seven years, and his contract was up. That's what free agency is all about."

Later, after Miller's time with the Heat ended and he returned to Miami last season as a member of the Grizzlies, James had nothing but positive things to say about his contributions to the franchise.

"Yeah, Mike was just that stable guy," James told BleacherReport.com. "With everything he went through, the injuries and being in and out of the lineup, not one day did he ever come to work with an 'I don't want to be here' attitude. Like never. And we all respected that."